


Unexpected

by grlnamedlucifer



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Implied Relationships, Multi, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-14
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-08 12:16:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/761220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grlnamedlucifer/pseuds/grlnamedlucifer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Javert was not on the barricade in Heaven, but that is not the unexpected thing flustering Valjean.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected

Valjean had not smiled so much in life as he did now, standing beside Fantine upon this massive barricade. True, he did not hold the same views on it as these students did, but their triumph and joy was infectious, and it did his heart good to join them in it. 

Though he didn't know most of their names in life, he knew them all now and rejoiced in seeing them happy. The boy, Gavroche, who he'd carried away from that other barricade, whole and happy with the boys he so admired. The girl, Eponine, who he now knew died saving his daughter's beloved, now well-dressed and healthy. Boys he could not save that night, singing together triumphantly.

After a time, though he had no idea how long or if it even mattered in this place, Valjean began to notice someone was missing. It took him a moment to think of who. The Bishop had greeted him as he'd entered this paradise, as he should, having bought Valjean's place here all those many years ago. Fantine stood beside him now, healthy and beautiful again, the torture of her life only in evidence in her short hair. But there was another, he knew. Someone who, not remaining on Earth like his dear Cosette, should have been here, a part of this happiness. 

“My dear,” he said, turning to Fantine. “Do you know... that is...” his words stumbled a bit. Would she even know? Would it be inappropriate to ask her, considering what had happened in life? Did he wish to know, no matter the answer? “Do you know where Inspector Javert is?” he asked, finally.

Fantine did not answer right away, nor could he discern an answer in her face. Instead, her eyes search his own face, before finally she held out her hand. “Come,” was all she said.

Valjean put his hand in hers and did as bid, letting her lead him from the barricade. As the students' voices faded into the distance, Valjean found himself worrying. He had been grateful that night when Javert not only let him go with his burden, but did not come immediately to his home to arrest him. He thought, though he knew well the man's opinion on mercy, that he was being given a final day with his daughter. When the day tuned into many, he started to worry – what was taking the man so long? When he finally read the man's obituary in the paper he knew, without being able to explain how, that Javert's death had been because of him.

Surely, Valjean now thought, that God could forgive even such a sin as suicide. And if so, surely Javert would not turn from that gift and choose oblivion instead. Why then was the man not here?

When Fantine stopped walking, Valjean put aside his thoughts to refocus on his surroundings. The place was familiar to him, a café that had been in Montreuil-sur-Mer when he had been mayor. Valjean looked on in mild confusion as Fantine opened the door.

Confusion turned into equal parts relief and surprise as a voice came from inside the café. “Had enough flag waving and rebellion for the day? I swear, you'd think they'd get tired of all that after a few-”

The voice stopped abruptly as Javert looked up from his coffee and saw who had entered. For a few moments, he openly stared at Valjean, who could only stare back. “So soon?” Javert eventually asked.

Fantine let go of his hand then and made her way to the table Javert was seated at. “Our Monsieur le Maire has finally decided to join us,” she answered for him. Valjean almost believed he was seeing things when the Inspector rose, pulling a chair out for her, then pushing it in as she sat. He was certain of it when she smiled at Javert in thanks, saying “Our dear Inspector doubted that you ask of him, but I knew otherwise.”

'Our?' Valjean almost repeated. He was reading too much into that, he scolded himself. He knew he should join them at the table, but he felt rooted to the spot in the doorway. “I... this was not what I expected,” he admitted.

Javert looked down – and was the man actually blushing? - then coughed awkwardly. “Yes, well. I rather expected a bit more fire and brimstone myself, but you seem to have had a point about God's infinite mercy after all.”

That made Valjean move closer, though he didn't take a seat. “No, Javert, you must know I didn't mean – I know you were a good man, I certainly didn't think –“ Valjean realized two amused sets of eyes watched as he floundered. Sighing, he waved his hands at them, “this. I didn't expect this. The two of you apparently being... friends.”

Fantine smiled again – and yes, that was definitely a blush on Javert's face. “Our dear Inspector needed a bit of help when he unexpectedly found himself here. We couldn't very well wait for you to find your way here, so I helped him the best I could. After all,” she reached over and placed a hand over Javert's. “he'll claim other reasons, but he did give my Cosette a few more months with her Papa.”

“That is a very forgiving – if ridiculous – interpretation of what happened,” Javert muttered, but Valjean noted he didn't pull his hand away. “But our dear lady here is apparently a very forgiving woman.”

'Our' again. Not at all what he had expected. “I am glad,” Valjean said eventually, and he was. A bit confused, but glad none the less. To see the two people who, besides the Bishop and his dear Cosette, had been the most important in his life here together. Getting along when in life they certainly had not, but how much of that had been their situation in life? More then getting along, really, if the closeness he was witnessing meant anything, and was a few months really such a short time in this place where time didn't seem to matter?

Valjean wasn't quite sure where his line of thought was going, but he was grateful when Javert's voice broke through again. “Sit down, man,” he said, with a wave of his hand towards the remaining chair. He sounded annoyed, but Valjean thought he could hear concern in his voice as well. “Sit before you faint, or something equally ridiculous.”

Valejan did as ordered, but his mouth seemed to have left his brain's control, as he said, “I almost feel like I'm intruding.” He could feel heat rush to his face at how it sounded. If he had been back on Earth, he thought he might call it jealousy. But surely no such feeling existed here. Nor did he have reason to feel it. Obviously.

But neither commented on it. Or, he amended his thoughts, neither disagreed with the implication. Javert, still with his own blush upon his face, merely smirked as he poured Valjean and Fantine a cup of coffee, his other hand still held by Fantine. Fantine, for her part, reacher her other hand to hold Valjean's again. “Nonsense, dear Monsieur,” she said firmly, smiling at them both. “We were waiting for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Quick fic that resulted from [this picture](http://grlnamedlucifer.tumblr.com/post/47952316694/inspector-pervert-hoflords-olivia-y113) from the 10th Anniversary Concert, combined with a post I now can't find about Javert only not being on the Heaven barricade at the end of the 2012 movie because he was off in a Heaven café somewhere instead.


End file.
